Chinese military equipment delivered to Russia for joint drills

Photo: RIA Novosti

Chinese tanks and gunships are training at a military range in the Urals within the framework of Russian-Chinese anti-terrorist exercises that began on Saturday and will last until the 15th of August. The exercises codenamed Peace Mission 2013 are taking place less than a month after joint naval drills.

A military press release reads that the key goal of the upcoming manoeuvres is to practise joint work of the command and the troops to prepare and conduct military actions during an anti-terrorist operation.

The exercises taking place in the Chelyabinsk Region involve 1,500 servicemen, among them 600 Chinese officers and men. 250 pieces of military hardware are participating in the drills. The Chinese troops have brought along their own tanks, light reconnaissance vehicles, 120-mm self-propelled howitzers, 152-mm self-propelled guns, ‘Flying Leopard’ fighter-bombers, Harbin Z-9 gunships and Mi-171 transport helicopters.

The distance between the Shengyang Military Region in China and the military range near Chelyabinsk in Russia is over 4,000km. The Chinese troops and armoured vehicles were delivered to the training area in the Ural Mountains by railway while the helicopters and fighter jets covered the distance on their own.

On the 1st of August the Chinese personnel deployed in Russia celebrated an anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army of China.

Shi Xiangyuan, deputy chief of staff of the Shengyang Military Region of the People’s Liberation Army said on Saturday that he is glad that both our countries are partners, not competitors, and have a high level of mutual trust. He called the current drills a new stage of military cooperation between the Chinese and Russian armies, stressing that strategic cooperation between the two armies reached an unprecedented level in recent years.

While preparing for the manoeuvres, Russia and China held three conferences and also staged reconnaissance operations. The joint command of Peace Mission 2013 involves 60 Russian and Chinese staff officers. The ground operation portion of the drill will be performed by a Russian battalion task group and the Chinese tactical units, while the bombers and helicopters will provide air support to the ground forces.

At present both the Russian and the Chinese Army are undergoing technical and structural reforms. Joint exercises are meant to help both armies to reach perfection.

All Russian-Chinese military drills are staged under the auspices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) founded in 2001. Besides China and Russia, the SCO embraces four Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The SCO member-states see their task in jointly fighting against terrorism and also in coordinating efforts in politics and trade.

A Russian-Chinese joint antiterrorism exercise in Russia's Urals region enters its active phase on Saturday, a spokesman for the Central Military District said.

The Peace Mission 2013 drills are being held at the Chebarkul military training area in the Chelyabinsk region from July 27 until August 15 and involve 1,500 personnel and over 250 pieces of military hardware, including 20 aircraft and helicopters.

Head of People’s Liberation Army of China delegation, Assistant Commander of Shenyang Military District troops Shi Xianyuan noted the high level of combat fraternity of servicemen at the Russian-Chinese anti-terrorism exercises Peace Mission-2013. The military exercises take place at Chebarkul firing range in Chelyabinsk region.

"Our Russian partners have thoroughly prepared all stages of the drills. We held similar military exercises many times, I am sure that this time we will achieve the desirable result," the Chinese lieutenant-general said.

On Thursday, Chinese servicemen celebrate the anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army of China foundation for the first time in Ural. They have a day-off and the Day of China is being held at the Chebarkul firing range.

The participants in the military exercises are offered the dishes of national Chinese cuisine, the press service of the Russian Central Military District told Itar-Tass on Thursday. Thematic photo exhibitions dedicated to People’s Liberation Army of China history are arranged at the tent camp. On Thursday evening, sport events will be held between the formations of the Russian Armed Forces and the People’s Liberation Army of China.

A performance of an ensemble of the Chinese army will be the highlight of the cultural program of the holiday. 57 musicians from China will sing not only national but also Russian songs that are highly popular in their homeland.

Peace Mission-2013 military exercises take place in South Urals from July 27 to August 15. Over 1,500 servicemen participate in the drills.

An operational group of People’s Liberation Army of China, which will take part in the 'Peace Mission-2013' command staff exercise, has arrived in Chelyabinsk Region on Monday, according to Central Military District press service.

"Chinese servicemen jointly with officers of the Central Military District staff will estimate the readiness of the field camp at Chebarkul firing range and the Shagol airbase," the press service reported.

"The operational force of the People’s Liberation Army of China will inspect the stations of temporary deployment of the participants in military exercises, as well as places of parking military hardware, including aviation. The main group of Chinese servicemen will arrive to the South Urals on August 1-2," Commander of the second Air Force Command and the Air Defense Troops Lieutenant-General Viktor Sevostyanov said.

"Our main goal at this military exercise is anti-terrorism struggle. Similar military exercises are held since 2005, but for the first time the troops of the Shenyang Military District of the People’s Liberation Army of China and the Russian Central Military District are interacting in the war games. Over 1,500 servicemen from both countries are involved in this large-scale event. Along with a powerful land force, helicopters of the army aviation and bombers will be involved," deputy chief of the staff of the Shenyang Military District Major General Zhang Yan said.

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